Corsair (5e Class)
Corsair
Driven either by thirst for adventure or gold, Corsairs are a special breed of buccaneers, making fortune and fame for themselves on high seas working under a contract, rather than independently. They sack merchant ships from rivals of commerce companies, fight naval battles as mercenaries and pillage coastal cities and ships under the orders of a king.
Do you like gold? Do you like the freedom of the open sea? Do you like to have your enemies cowering before you? Well, this may just be the class for you. Fearsome, brave and deadly, Corsairs bring terror to the seas and coastal villages. But woe betide the creature that thinks it can take this fish out of water. Land or sea, yaaarr, it's a corsair's life for thee. The Corsair’s alignment can be anything from chaotic good to chaotic evil, depending on your swashbuckling mariner’s reason for sailing under the black flag… and your policy on taking prisoners.
- Quick Build
You can make a Corsair quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the sailor background. Third, choose a rapier, leather armor, burglar's pack, a light crossbow with 20 bolts, and tinker's tools.
Class Features
As a Corsair you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Corsair level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Corsair level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: Vehicles (sea) and navigator’s tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Perception, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth.
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a cutlass or (b) a rapier
- (a) a leather armor or (b) a chain shirt
- (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a burglar's pack
- (a) a shortbow with 20 arrows or (b) a light crossbow with 20 bolts
- navigator's tools
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Jolly Rogers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Privateer, See the Sea, Brandish Swords | - |
| 2nd | +2 | Fish of the Sea, Dirty Fighting | - |
| 3rd | +2 | Calico, Avast Ye | 1 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 1 |
| 6th | +3 | Quartermaster | 1 |
| 7th | +3 | Calico Feature | 2 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 |
| 9th | +4 | Roll and Go | 2 |
| 10th | +4 | Belay That...! And Do Somethin' Else! | 2 |
| 11th | +4 | Pirate Logic | 3 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 |
| 13th | +5 | Cape Fear | 3 |
| 14th | +5 | Crow's Nest | 3 |
| 15th | +5 | Calico Feature | 4 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 |
| 17th | +6 | Blow the Man Down | 4 |
| 18th | +6 | Captain | 4 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 |
| 20th | +6 | Calico Feature | 4 |
Optional Rule: Firearm Proficiency
If your Dungeon Master uses the rules on firearms in chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master's Guide and your corsair has been exposed to the operations of such weapons, your corsair is proficient with them. In that case, all features that require a finesse or light weapon will require a firearm instead.
Additionally, you gain the following features instead:
- Steady As She Goes (Replaces Brandish Swords )
At 1st level, it becomes nearly impossible for you to miss a single shot with any firearm at your enemy. Once in each of your turns when you miss an attack with a firearm, the shot instead grazes your enemy dealing damage equal to your Dexterity modifier. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your level in this class.
- Fire in the Hole (Using Mathew Mercer's rules for firearms)
At 1st level, when you roll a critical fail or jam your gun, you may use your bonus action to attempt to fix it. This ability can be used once per turn.
Privateer
A corsair often have a patron or operates under commission of a patron, like a king of a maritime commerce company. For that reason, you can easily ask for patronage or be hired for specific missions. You have advantage in Charisma and Wisdom checks and negotiating the terms of a contract, and in Intelligence (Investigation) checks to find information about a particularly powerful patron, such as organizations and kingdoms.
See the Sea
At 1st level, due to your extensive travels on the ocean blue, you’ve seen a lot of everything. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks while on sea and in coastal areas, and have advantage on all your Intelligence checks to recall information related to the sea. Also, you have advantage on your Charisma checks when interacting with professionals of the sea, like sailors, pirates and carriers from the docks.
Brandish Swords
Starting at 1st level, if you take damage from a melee attack, you can try parry and riposte his attack. When you finish a long rest, you have a pool of d6 equal to your level in this class. As a reaction when you take damage from a melee attack, you can force the attacker to make a saving throw against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier. On a failed save, you can choose to spend any amount of dice in that pool. You reduce the damage taken by the amount rolled, and cause the same amount as damage to the attacker.
Fish of the Sea
Starting at 2nd level, as long as you are not wearing heavy armor or using a shield, you have a swimming speed and a climbing speed equal to your normal speed, and you gain a +1 bonus to armor class.
Dirty Fighting
At 2nd level, when you are dueling you can make an disabling attack and sever a muscle or cut an eye when fighting.
Dirty Tricks. You learn two dirty strikes of your choice, which are detailed under “Dirty Tricks” below. Each use of a dirty trick must be declared before the attack roll is made. You can use only one dirty strike per attack.
You learn an additional dirty trick of your choice at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Each time you learn a new dirty trick, you can also replace one dirty trick you know with a different one.
Malice. You gain a number of malice points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). You regain 1 expended malice point each time you roll a 20 on the d20 roll for an attack with a light or finesse weapon, or reduce an opponent with a CR equal or higher than your level to 0 hit points. You regain all expended malice points after a short or long rest.
Avast Ye
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your bonus action to challenge an opponent to a duel. When you do so, the opponent can make a Wisdom saving throw against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier, or will be compelled to fight to you for 1 minute.
The challenged creature have disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures that are not you, and must make another Wisdom saving throw every time it tries to move 30 feet away from you, not having its movement restricted on a success. Also, all your attacks against the challenged creature score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20 on the d20. If you attack other creature before this effect ends, the duel ends.
In addition, once, before the duel ends, you can make one successful attack from you or from your allies against that creature deal additional 2d6 damage. You must be within 5 feet of that creature. When you choose to deal this additional damage, the challenge ends.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum once), being unable to use it again until you finish a long rest.
Under the Black Flag
At 3rd level, your reputation has spread, and you are now known the world over as a powerful and dangerous corsair. You gain blessing of the black flag, represented by Jolly Rogers, almost mythical abilities possessed by legendary buccaneers. You gain one jolly roger when you first gain this feature, and others as you gain levels on this class, as shown on the Jolly Rogers column on the Corsair table.
Calico
When you reach 3rd level, you choose how you want people to perceive you. Choose an Archetype: Dread Pirate or Gentleman Pirate. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 15th, 18th, and 20th level.
Ability Score Increase
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of you choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Quartermaster
At 6th level, you have become so charismatic and intimidating that your orders are rarely challenged. You gain advantage on all your Charisma checks against humanoids.
In addition, you can choose a humanoid creature within 30 feet. The creature must succeed on a saving throw with a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. Pirates, seaman and other types of sea professions make this check with disadvantage. On a failed save, the creature is charmed by you for 1 hour. It ends earlier if you or your allies enact violently or with harm towards it. Once you successfully charmed a creature in that manner, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest.
Roll and Go
Starting at 9th level, you can use a reaction to force a creature challenged by your Avast Ye feature within 30 feet to reroll an ability check, attack roll or saving throw. You can use this feature once, being unable to use it again until you make another challenge.
Belay That...! And Do Somethin' Else!
At 10th level, when a creature within 30 feet that you can see begins to take an action, you may use your reaction to make a weapon attack against that creature. On a hit, the creature takes no damage, but their action is spent without having taken effect. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
Pirate Logic
When you reach the 11th level, whenever you challenge a creature, your attack before the end of the challenge deal additional 1d6 damage (for a total of 4d6).
In addition, while you have unspent challenges, your attacks with finesse or light weapons deal additional 1d6 damage.
Cape Fear
Starting at 13th level, when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points or score a critical hit, you can exude a powerful aura of fear. All creatures within x feet that can see you must make a Wisdom saving throw against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier or will drop anything they are holding and become frightened for the duration.
While frightened, the creature must take the Dash action and move away from you from the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature end's on its turn in a location where it doesn't have line of sight of you, the creature can make another saving throw to end the effect.
A challenged creature affected by this featrue will not be frightened by you, but instead must make a Wisdom saving throw on the start of each of its turns to be able to move and keep fighting against you. On a failed save, the creature is paralyzed in fear.
Any creature that succeeds a saving throw against this feature is immune to its effects for the next 24 hours.
Crow’s Nest
At 14th level, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Also, dim light doesn't impose disadvantage on your Wisdom (Perception) checks.
In addition, you can see up to 1 mile away with no difficulty, able to discern even fine details as though looking at something no more than 100 feet away from you.
Blow the Man Down
At 17th level, your attacks with light and finesse weapons score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20, and you regain a dirty trick point on a roll of 19 or 20 on a d20.
Captain
At 18th level, you finally have achieved the respected rank of captain of your crew. When you finish a long rest, you can choose another creature type, in addition to humanoid, to be affected by your quartermaster feature.
In addition, you can use the Help action as a bonus action on your turn, and on an allied creature that you can see within 30 feet.
Archetypes
There are two kinds of Corsairs: Deadly and Dirty, and Dirty and Deadly.
Gentleman Pirate Archetype
- Gent
You are polite and classy. At 3rd level, you can add half of your proficiency bonus to all Charisma checks you don't have proficiency in.
- Honored Pirate
At 3rd level, even your enemies are impressed by your politeness and honor. When you challenge a creature with your Avast Ye feature, the challenged creature must make a saving throw on the beginning of each of its turns, or is charmed until the end of your next turn.
In addition, whenever you make an attack against a creature charmed by you, you can choose to make your attack score a instant critical on a hit. Once you do this, the target can't be charmed by you for the next 24 hours.
- Bonny Liar
At 7th level, your innate ability to lie has given you an upper-hand. You have proficiency in the following skills: Deception and Insight. If you already is proficient, you can add double your proficiency bonus to the checks made with them.
- Double Cross
At 15th level, as an action, you can persuade enemies that you and your allies are not threats. Enemies must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw versus against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a failed save, the combat stop and the attitude of the enemies shifts to indifferent. A fail with a roll of 1 on the d20 make the enemies charmed for 24 hours or until you or your allies make an attack or other harmful action towards them. On a success, the enemies are immune to this feature for the next 24 hours.
You and your allies can decide to re-initiate the combat. When doing so, you and all your allies roll initiative with advantage and have advantage on the first attack made on the first round of combat.
- ...And No One Gets Hurt
At 20th level, because of your fearsome and intimidating reputation, you can attempt to convince any bandits, pirates or other beasts not to attack and avoid a fight. All hostile creatures within 60 feet must make a Wisdom saving throw against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a failed save, they will immediately stop to fight and will become friendly towards you for the next 24 hours, or until you do any obviously harmful effect towards it.
In addition, the creatures will be friendly towards you and inclined to accept your commands or suggestions. You have advantage in all your Charisma checks towards these creatures.
If you or your allies decide to attack the affected creatures, you gain one surprise turn against them, and your allies have a bonus to the initiative rolls equal to your Charisma modifier.
After activating the aura, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Dread Pirate Archetype
- Dead Men Tell No Tales
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, when you challenge a creature with your Avast Ye feature, all creatures within 30 feet of you (including the target of the challenge) must make a Wisdom saving throw against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier or be frightened by you for 1 minute.
- Fearsome Reputation
At 3rd level, you have acquired such a reputation and way of carrying yourself that terrorizes those that recognize you. When you make a Charisma (Intimidation) check, you can use a bonus action to impose disadvantage on the contested check against the tentative of intimidating it.
- Rusty Anchor
When you reach the 3rd level, once in each of your turns when you hit a creature frightened by you, you deal additional 1d8 psychic damage.
- Devil Of The Sea
At 7th level, whenever you are reduced to 0 hit points, you are reduced to 1 hit point instead and can make one attack against the lest creature to cause damage to you. On a hit, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt. Once you use this feature, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest.
- My Name is Captain Kidd
At 15th level, news of your feats has spread far and wide and you have become something of a legend. Once when you miss an attack roll, you can re-roll the result. On a success, this attack deal additional 1d8 damage. Once you use this feature you can't use it again until you finish a short or a long rest.
- Davey Jones
At 20th level, you may use your whole turn to channel the wrathful spirit of Davey Jones. For 1 minute, All enemies within 60 feet of you must make a Charisma saving throw against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. A failed save causes enemies to become paralyzed with fear until the end of your next turn, and frightened for the next 1 minute.
Once you use this feature, can't use it again until you finish a short or a long rest.
Dirty Tricks
- Leg Trip
You can try to take a creature to the ground with a sweep. You can expend one malice point and use your bonus action to shove a creature. You gain advantage on the roll.
- Sever Tendon
When you make an attack with a light or finesse weapon against a creature, you can expend one malice point to try to cut the tendons of his arms. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and must make a Constitution saving throw or suffer disadvantage on attacks until the end of their next turn.
- Lunge
When you make an attack with a light or finesse weapon against a creature, you can expend one malice point to gain advantage on the attack roll.
- Envelopment
When you make an attack with a light or finesse weapon against a creature, you can expend one malice point to attempt to spin the object out of his grip. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and must succeed on a Strength saving throw or lose grip of the object, that lands on your hand or on the ground in your space (if your hand is occupied).
- Retreat
When you make an attack with a light or finesse weapon against a creature, you can expend one malice point to attempt disengage from combat. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, you can move 15 feet in any direction, and this movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity from the target.
- Blinding Strike
When you make an attack with a light or finesse weapon against a creature, you can expend one malice point to attempt to make a superficial cut over the creature's eyes, blinding it temporarily. On a hit, the creature suffers 1 point of damage and must make a Dexterity saving throw or be blinded until the start of your next turn.
- Shiver Me Timbers
Make an attack roll with a light or finesse weapon against a creature, you can expend one malice point to make the attack against your enemy's knees. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or have its movement speed reduced to 0 until the end of your next turn.
- Swivel
Make an attack roll with a light or finesse weapon against a creature, you can expend one malice point to swivel the enemy. The attack causes 1 point of damage and the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or is stunned until next short rest.
Jolly Rogers
If a jolly roger requires a save DC, it is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
- Shanties
You teach your allies an encyclopedia of Sea Shanties. They become incredibly motivated and inspired. You can cast heroism once, being unable to do it again until you complete a short or a long rest.
- Oh Captain, My Captain
As a fearsome pirate captain, you may convince one of your allies to swap initiative with you. At the start of each round, you can choose to change your place on the initiative order with any willing ally.
- Pirate Eye
Whenever you hold an action to attack an enemy, you make your attack with advantage when using your reaction.
- Fool’s Gold
You can divert damage intended for you, deflecting it. As a reaction, you gain a +5 bonus to your AC until the start of your next turn. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or a long rest.
- Marooned
prerequisite: 5th level
You can drive the enemy nearest to the last enemy you shot into insanity. As a reaction when cause damage against an enemy with an attack, you can force the attacker make a saving throw against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a failed save, the enemy must attack his nearest ally on his next turn. If the attack is impossible, he loses one of his attacks. Once you use this, you can't do it again until you finish a short or a long rest.
- Blackbeard’s Revenge
prerequisite: 5th level
When you or an allied creature within 30 feet is brought to 0 hit points or lower, you can use your reaction to make the target to perform a single attack against any enemy at range. Once you do this, you can't do it again until you finish a short or a long rest.
- Walk the Plank
prerequisite: 5th level
When an enemy moves 30 feet away from you, you can use your reaction to force it to make a saving throw against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the target is knocked prone. You can use this once, being unable to do it again until you finish a short or a long rest.
- Scurvy
prerequisite: 12th level
You can cast inflict wounds as a 3rd-level spell, using your weapon's range, instead of touch. You can make one attack as a bonus action immediatly after. Once you use this, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
- Ironside
prerequisite: 17th level
You can use your action to make one creature of your choice within 5 feet becomes resistant to piercing, slashing or bludgeoning damage from non-magical sources for the next hour. Once you do this, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest.
- Drunken Sailors
prerequisite: 17th level
Your drunken pirate demeanor has afflicted your comrades as well. You and up to four allied creatures must spend at least 10 minutes drinking alcohol. For the next hour, the target's movements are unpredictable and they gain a high pain tolerance. All attacks made against the target's are made at disadvantage and they gain the benefits of the heroism spell for the duration.
In addition, all the chosen creatures have disadvantage on all Wisdom and Dexterity checks they make for the duration of the drunkenness.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the corsair class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Dexterity and 13 Charisma.
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the corsair class, you gain the following proficiencies: light armor, medium armor, simple weapons, and martial weapons
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